He's being blamed for a cruise ship tragedy that claimed 32 lives, but Captain Francesco Schettino still wants to be paid.

The creators of an online petition, however, are trying to prevent the disgraced Costa Concordia captain from ever seeing a red cent.

The petition, posted by ForceChange, a site that publicizes protests from smaller groups, wants to stop Schettino from getting his job back or be paid the back pay that he is apparently requesting, according to an article in The Daily Telegraph. ::snipping2::

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" Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

An online petition at the website ForceChange is seeking to ensure that Costa Cruises, who own the sunken Italian cruise liner, the Costa Concordia, do not pay to the ship's captain back pay or compensation for lost wages.

Earlier this month, the captain of the Costa Concordia when it went too close to the shore of the island of Giglio in the Tuscan Bay and hit a reef, sued Costa Cruises to get his job back. Despite being on trial now for multiple charges, including causing a shipwreck and abandoning his ship, Francesco Schettino also seeks back pay for wages lost since the Jan. 13 tragedy.

Francesco Schettino sues for compensation

But Kelly Hamilton on ForceChange writes that with Schettino's "fate still unknown and the damage still so shocking, Schettino must not be rewarded compensation for his work." Hamilton then urges people to "sign the petition below to urge Costa Cruises not to award Francesco Schettino any type of additional compensation or back pay."Should Schettino be successful in his lawsuit, Costa Cruises may be forced to pay the disgraced captain compensation of some kind, and could even be required to rehire him. Legal experts in Italy, however, have indicated that the likelihood of Schettino winning his suit are slim. ::snipping2::

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" Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

Nine months after the Costa Concordia cruise ship smashed into the Tuscan island of Giglio, one passenger is finally set to get his suitcase back after it washed ashore 17 miles away on a different island.

The suitcase, which was found on a beach on the island of Elba on Monday, belonged to an Austrian man who was among the 4,300 passengers and crew who fled the vessel as it capsized in shallow water in January, leaving 32 people dead.

Found by children, the suitcase contained clothes and was identified by cruise ship stickers and a handwritten baggage tag – still legible after its sea voyage.

A source close to the team now attempting to right the Costa Concordia said the bag might have tumbled out of the ship and into the sea during rough weather on 31 October.

The 114,500-tonne ship is now balancing on two underwater granite rock outcrops which have punctured holes in the hull, said the source. "Objects like mattresses tend to come out of the holes and I would not rule out the storm surging through the holes and pushing out the suitcase. After the storm divers did find material on the seabed, which is collected." ::snipping2::

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" Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

Information about the continuing removal process of the shipwrecked Costa Concordia from Italian waters is available on a new website.

Costa Cruises, which owns the ship, and Titan/Micoperi, the consortium removing it, are posting details about the project at www.theparbucklingproject.com. The site includes information in Italian and English. ::snipping2::

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" Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

CATCo Investment Management, the specialist Bermuda based reinsurance-linked investment business that manages around $2 billion of retrocessional reinsurance portfolios for its clients, has commuted a portion of its losses from the Costa Concordia marine disaster according to a stock exchange announcement. Commuting the losses early allows them to be accounted for now and reduces the chance for loss creep affecting the CATCo Reinsurance Opportunities Fund investors.

The update from CATCo says that industry loss estimates for the overall cost of the sinking of the Costa Concordia look set to rise after the international group of P&I Associations’ actual and expected insured loss estimate for Protection and Indemnity (Wreck Removal and Cargo/Crew/Passenger Liability) increased by approximately $130m, from circa $521m to $652m. The final settlement for the Hull & Machinery claim amounted to circa $520 million. This makes the overall loss total for Costa Concordia around $1.172 billion.More...

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" Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

3:16PM EST November 15. 2012 - Crewmembers on cruise ships around the world will secure heavy objects such as pianos and treadmills when not in use as part of a safety policy announced today by two industry groups.

The new Securing Heavy Objects policy, announced jointly by the Cruise Lines International Association and European Cruise Council, will apply to all ocean-going vessels operated by member lines such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess and Holland America. Nearly every major cruise line in the world is a member of one or both groups.

The two groups today also unveiled a life jacket policy for newly constructed ocean-going ships that requires a life jacket for every passenger and crew member to be stowed in close proximity to either muster stations or lifeboat embarkation points.More...

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" Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), meeting at the Organization's London Headquarters for its 91st session from 26 to 30 November 2012, agreed that rules to require passenger safety drills to take place prior to, or immediately upon, departure should be made mandatory, in the wake of the Costa Concordia incident.The Committee approved draft amendments to chapter III (Life-saving appliances and arrangements) of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) to require musters of newly embarked passengers prior to or immediately upon departure, instead of “within 24 hours”, as stated in the current regulations, for a ship engaged on a voyage where passengers are scheduled to be on board for more than 24 hours. The draft amendments will now be circulated for consideration, with a view to adoption, at the next session, MSC 92, in June 2013. They could enter into force at the end of 2014.More...

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" Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

Ship safety regulations are to be tightened following the Costa Concordia disaster - but it could be many months before some of the regulations take effect.

Safety drills and lifeboat loading are among the measures announced by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). ::snipping2::The IMO's safety committee has agreed that rules to require passenger safety drills to take place prior to, or immediately upon, departure should now be made mandatory.

This is instead of "within 24 hours", as stated in the current regulations.

However, it will not be until June 2013 that the draft amendments, which will now be circulated for consideration, will be considered again at the committee's next meeting.

It may not be until the end of 2014 that the new measure will come into force.

Other recommended measures include: recording the nationality of each person on board, and guidance on lifeboat loading for training purposes.

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" Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

(AGI) Genoa - The case brought by the Costa Crociere cruise line to determine the legitimacy of the dismissal procedure against Francesco Schettino, the captain of the Costa Concordia, opened at Genoa labour court on Wednesday morning. Schettino was not in court. The lawyer for Costa Crociere, Camillo Paroletti, explained that the company has decided to use the Fornero procedure, "In the face of serious allegations made promptly to the captain about his conduct in the workplace." Schettino is represented by Rosario D'Orazio, who argued that the use of this procedure is illegitimate. ::snipping2::

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" Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

NEW YORK, Dec. 6, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- The following is being released by Ronai & Ronai, LLP:

There is now conclusive independent video evidence that Sandor Feher, the Hungarian bandleader on the ill-fated Costa Concordia, gave his own life trying to save fellow passengers, according to the attorneys representing Mr. Feher's estate in its Federal wrongful death and negligence Complaint against the ship's owner-operator.

Mr. Feher was issued a first responder's yellow jacket and assigned by ship personnel to help coordinate the chaotic evacuation of thousands, explained Peter Ronai, who along with his partner Holly Ostrov Ronai represent Mr. Feher's estate and the four members of his performing troupe that were injured in the accident.

"We now know conclusively that those in charge directed Mr. Feher, despite his complete lack of training to perform the key role of first responder," said Ronai.

"Eyewitness accounts, supported by the passenger-phone video, reveal that he acted with valor on instinct alone and helped others until his last dying breath."

"Mr. Feher's only pre-cruise training was as a violinist. He and others pressed into service were not properly prepared to help manage a disaster, though they acted bravely," said Holly Ostrov Ronai.

She said cruise line officials violated maritime policies by giving Mr. Feher and other personnel the answers to required safety-test questions before it was administered. The Budapest-based performer, whose only source of income was as a cruise-ship entertainer, was last seen helping children don life jackets before he drowned. ::snipping2::

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" Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

NEW YORK, Dec. 6, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- The following is being released by Ronai & Ronai, LLP:

There is now conclusive independent video evidence that Sandor Feher, the Hungarian bandleader on the ill-fated Costa Concordia, gave his own life trying to save fellow passengers, according to the attorneys representing Mr. Feher's estate in its Federal wrongful death and negligence Complaint against the ship's owner-operator.

Mr. Feher was issued a first responder's yellow jacket and assigned by ship personnel to help coordinate the chaotic evacuation of thousands, explained Peter Ronai, who along with his partner Holly Ostrov Ronai represent Mr. Feher's estate and the four members of his performing troupe that were injured in the accident.

"We now know conclusively that those in charge directed Mr. Feher, despite his complete lack of training to perform the key role of first responder," said Ronai.

"Eyewitness accounts, supported by the passenger-phone video, reveal that he acted with valor on instinct alone and helped others until his last dying breath."

"Mr. Feher's only pre-cruise training was as a violinist. He and others pressed into service were not properly prepared to help manage a disaster, though they acted bravely," said Holly Ostrov Ronai.

She said cruise line officials violated maritime policies by giving Mr. Feher and other personnel the answers to required safety-test questions before it was administered. The Budapest-based performer, whose only source of income was as a cruise-ship entertainer, was last seen helping children don life jackets before he drowned. ::snipping2::

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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has!" Margaret Mead

NEW YORK, Dec. 6, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- The following is being released by Ronai & Ronai, LLP:

There is now conclusive independent video evidence that Sandor Feher, the Hungarian bandleader on the ill-fated Costa Concordia, gave his own life trying to save fellow passengers, according to the attorneys representing Mr. Feher's estate in its Federal wrongful death and negligence Complaint against the ship's owner-operator.

Mr. Feher was issued a first responder's yellow jacket and assigned by ship personnel to help coordinate the chaotic evacuation of thousands, explained Peter Ronai, who along with his partner Holly Ostrov Ronai represent Mr. Feher's estate and the four members of his performing troupe that were injured in the accident.

"We now know conclusively that those in charge directed Mr. Feher, despite his complete lack of training to perform the key role of first responder," said Ronai.

"Eyewitness accounts, supported by the passenger-phone video, reveal that he acted with valor on instinct alone and helped others until his last dying breath."

"Mr. Feher's only pre-cruise training was as a violinist. He and others pressed into service were not properly prepared to help manage a disaster, though they acted bravely," said Holly Ostrov Ronai.

She said cruise line officials violated maritime policies by giving Mr. Feher and other personnel the answers to required safety-test questions before it was administered. The Budapest-based performer, whose only source of income was as a cruise-ship entertainer, was last seen helping children don life jackets before he drowned. ::snipping2::

All the rules and regulations in the world won't help if they're bypassed or ignored.

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" Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

Muffybee, thank you so much for keeping up with all of this and providing us with the information. I have cruised some 25 times, and a lot of what you are showing is news to me, and most of the other cruisers. I have always attended reguired drills, and assumed those that were in charge and directing us new what they were doing. I will never again assume that. thank you for keeping on top of this information.

The Canadian newsmagazine show, The Fifth Estate, will air an exclusive interview on Friday with the disgraced captain of the doomed Costa Concordia. In the show, Francesco Schettino says the ship's sinking was an accident and that he was not negligent."It's not a crime, it's an accident," he told the CBC news show. "And there is a difference between crime and accident. In this case, it's being treated like a crime, and I don't understand why." ::snipping2::

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" Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts." - Daniel Moynihan

The Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia's captain suggests he has been unfairly blamed for both the shipwreck that killed 32 people and for appearing to abandon ship prematurely, CBC's the fifth estate reports in an exclusive documentary airing Friday.

In an interview, Capt. Francesco Schettino describes to the fifth estate's Bob McKeown how he believes that the ship wasn't on the course he had ordered and how he believes a helmsman's brief error contributed to the problem. As well, Schettino says that evidence from the ship's recovered "black box" appears to support his contention.More...